SENATOR Erwin Tulfo has been designated as the acting chairman of the powerful Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III confirmed on Wednesday, October 8.
Following a caucus of the majority bloc, Sotto said the senators agreed to have Tulfo, the panel’s vice chairman, temporarily lead the committee after Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson stepped down from the post.
“The majority decided that we make the vice chairman the acting chairman muna (for the meantime),” Sotto said in a chance interview, adding that Tulfo has accepted the role.
He explained that there was no need to bring the matter to the plenary since the committee’s internal rules allow the vice chair to assume leadership in an acting capacity.
Sotto said a full meeting of the majority bloc will soon be held to decide who will permanently head the committee. For now, Tulfo will serve as acting chair until that decision is made.
The Senate chief added that the other senators earlier considered for the position: JV Ejercito, Raffy Tulfo, Pia Cayetano, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, and Risa Hontiveros, have all declined, citing their current workload.
“At the moment, they don’t want to accept it,” Sotto said. “They’re very busy with their hearings; most of them are handling two or three major committees that are very important.”
Both Lacson and Erwin Tulfo were absent during the caucus.
Sotto also expressed confidence in Tulfo’s capability to lead the Blue Ribbon Committee, saying, “He’s a good choice. He has expertise and experience in investigative journalism, matapang pa (and he’s brave).”